


You Have a Home Here

by Brynn_Jones



Series: Home [1]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Family, Fluff, M/M, the slightest bit of Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-07
Updated: 2016-11-07
Packaged: 2018-08-29 17:26:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8498806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brynn_Jones/pseuds/Brynn_Jones
Summary: Honestly, all Robert had wanted was a glass of water.





	

Robert ran his fingers through Aaron's tousled hair, which was free of any product for the night, watching his fiancé's sleeping face. Aaron was breathing deeply, regular bursts of humid air washing over Robert's face, and his dark eyelashes fluttered against his rosy cheeks. The younger man always looked so peacefully when he was sleeping and Robert enjoyed every second he could just observe him undisturbed. Sighing tiredly, the blond pulled back his caressing hand and rolled over. He was thirsty, so he had to force himself to leave the warmth of his lover's embrace and make his way downstairs for a glass of water. Throwing his long legs over the side of their bed, Robert felt for his warm mules with his feet and slipped into them before finally heaving himself up.

"Jesus," he sighed, rubbing a hand across his face. His vision was swimming, his red eyes stinging. He felt drained after the week he had had. Both the accident and the funeral took a lot out of him and now that he could finally relax and sleep, he couldn't. His brain was working overtime, his body unwilling to settle.

He descended the stairs slowly, holding onto the banister, so he wouldn't stumble in his state. He entered the backroom, forgoing flipping the light switch, and headed straight towards the kitchen.

"Rob?" came a sleepy voice from the direction of the couch and Robert startled.

"Liv?" he questioned, not sure if it really was the cheeky girl, sitting alone in the dark.

"Yeah," she answered in a whisper.

"Are you all right?" he asked, immediately switching into his parent-mode and shuffling towards her through the darkened room.

"Fine," Liv rasped

The blond man finally reached the couch and felt around for his teenage charge, his hand encountering her leg. "You sure?" he questioned in a patient voice, sitting down beside her.

He could feel her shrug.

"What happened?"

Another shrug and then a quiet, "Mum called."

Robert raised his eyebrows, not sure what the problem was. "That's great, innit?"

Liv folded her arms across her chest, the gesture visible now that Robert's eyes got more accustomed to the lighting conditions, and leaned her weight against his side. "She's asking questions," the girl explained, "About how settled I am and how I like the school and stuff."

The man chuckled. "Well I hate to break it to you, love, but those sound like some pretty standard mum-questions. "

"She never cared before though, did she? Why is she asking now?" came the enraged response and Robert could almost feel the angry vibrations coming off of the teenager.

"She probably misses you, Liv," he tried to soothe her, "it's only natural that she's curious. She hasn't seen you in donkey's."

Liv huffed. "Then why is she calling now? She had months to call and talk to me, but never did. Why now? Why does she have to go and ruin everything now that I finally feel like-" she cut herself off.

"Now that you feel like what?" Robert gently urged her.

There was a long pause and Robert waited with baited breath. He knew not to push her. He had experience with this sort of thing from dealing with Aaron, so he knew that pressing Liv for answers would only cause her to clam up.

Finally, Robert could feel the teenager relax further into his side and whisper, "Like I finally have a home."

And hell if Robert didn't feel his eyes sting for a completely different reason than exhaustion. Not that he would ever admit to it, of course. "You do have a home here," he assured the distraught girl once he was sure his voice wouldn't break.

"Yeah, but she's gonna take me away."

Robert put his arm around Liv's narrow shoulders. "Don't be daft. Where would she take you?"

That got him another shrug. "Anywhere. You know what she's like, always moving from place to place."

"Liv," Robert chided softly, "that's not going to happen."

The blonde girl nodded resolutely. "Of course not," she agreed, her voice stronger with false bravado but no less desperate, "not this time. "I want to stay here, with you and Aaron."

Robert squeezed her body closer to his. "Listen," he said, trying to project calmness and assurance, "I promise you that we are going to do anything in our power to keep you here, ok? You're not getting rid of us that easily."

Liv nodded, but didn't seem entirely convinced. "Not like you can do much if she tells me to pack my stuff," she muttered.

"Hey," said Robert knocking his knee into hers, "you're not going anywhere."

"You promise?" she asked and blinked her shining eyes at him.

"I promise."

She sniffed, burrowing her face in his shoulder. "Ok," she mumbled.

They sat like that for a few minutes, Robert's arms around her slight frame and her head buried in his pyjama top, until Liv finally wiggled out of his embrace. "Anyone ever told you, you were a sorry sap?" she teased him, her voice still a little watery but a lot lighter.

"Oh, nice one," he scoffed playfully, "That's what I get for trying to be supportive."

She gave him a cheeky grin, before sighing and resting her head on his shoulder again. "She wants to come visit," she said, all the amusement gone.

Robert shrugged his unoccupied shoulder, trying not to feel bothered. "Could be nice," he remarked, not sure if he himself believed it.

Liv snorted. "Right, pull the other one."

Robert was silent, not sure what to say. His thoughts turned to what he could possibly do if Sandra did decide to take Liv away and realised, much to his desperation, that there was nothing. Nothing legal, at least. Sandra was Liv's mum and that was that, him and Aaron didn't have any right to tell her what to do with her daughter.

His musings were interrupted by a light snore. He turned his head slightly and chuckled at the sight he met, Liv was kipped out on his shoulder, head tilted back and mouth open. He nudged her side. "Wake up," he whispered, "I'm not carrying you upstairs."

His only answer was an unintelligible mumble.

"Olivia," he said, trying for a stern tone, "I don't want to put my back out."

She grunted. "As if."

He nudged her again. "Come on, I'm also knackered."

Liv's response was a two-fingered salute. She managed to snatch her hand back before he could slap her across it.

Robert shook his head, not sure if he should feel irritated or fond. He settled for fond, since he had no energy to muster proper irritation. Standing up, he grabbed Liv by the arms and heaved her up. "Come on, lazy bones."

The girl blinked at him sleepily. "Fine," she finally acquiesced, but couldn't help to add, "but Aaron would've carried me up."

Robert pushed her towards the door. "Well, unlike me, he's used to lifting heavy weight," he teased.

"Hilarious."

They managed to make their way back upstairs, Robert having to steer a half-asleep Liv so she didn't bump into any walls. He watched as she flopped on her bed, not even bothering to get climb under the covers. Robert used his last vestiges of strength to pull the heavy blanket from underneath her prone body so he could cover her. Tugging at the snoozing teenager's hair tie, he slid it off her ponytail, so that she was more comfortable, and quietly left the room.

He then sleepwalked towards his own room and climbed into the big bed, curling at Aaron's back. He sighed contentedly at the warmth his fiancé radiated and immediately felt himself relax. He had no idea how he ever managed to sleep apart from the scruffy man. Pressing his face into the nape of Aaron's neck, he sniffed as the short brown hair tickled his nose and swallowed drily. His throat scratched with thirst.

Flaming heck, he'd forgot that glass of water.


End file.
